Grocery Store & Mailbox Finds and Organic or Not?

Happy Hump Day.Halfway there, the weekend is in sight!What’s on your agenda til then? I’ve got a 5:30pm yoga class to teach this evening. I have a newish playlist that I burned that I have only used one time that I am excited to play tonight. As a teacher, I have to keep my music fresh or I get really bored. The only good thing about using the same playlist is that you know without looking at the clock, how much timemore you need to make your students sweatapproximately is left in the class. The downfall is autopilot which is the antithesis of being present, living in the moment, and avoiding mental cruise control. Earlier today I’ve been out running errands and I took Skylar to the park. We practiced writing our names in the sand with muddy sticks and sung our abc’s 23 times. In a row. But I loved every second! Whatcha got going on today?

As promised, let’s move on to some Grocery Finds. Sit back and relax, I’ve got alot to show you…

Remember over the weekend when I mentioned that I hit up 3 Markets in one day after yoga? Well, here’s a few things I got that I’m groovin’ on.

I hit up Trader Joe’s for some essentials.Like coffee. New to me, and I love this coffee!!!!!!!I have a major problem paying $12 bucks for a bag of Starbucks, or $14 for Peet’s or even more for fair trade/organic coffees. So, I am in HogCoffee Heaven when not only is this can only $6.99 for a generous 12 oz. can, but the taste is awesome.

It’s rich, bold, but not bitter. The label says “bright” and I would agree. It’s perfect and it’s going into rotation with my beloved Sumatra from TJ’s.

And I picked up some toddler crack. You can get a toddler to do anything with these. White Cheddar Puffs. Sorta like cheaper Pirate’s Booty.

…But Scott said he actually prefers these to Pirates Booty, and at $1.99 for a huge bag from TJ’s, I’ll get my family their dosage of processed starch and sodium rather cheaply. Cool. And yes, I am clearly aware this is not a vegan product.

I also picked up some TJ’s frozen mango. I think theirs is the best and tends toward the least amount of freezer burn, but it’s not perfect. Why do some stores sell freezer burnt food? Seriously, a mystery that I do not enjoy finding when I break into my bag!

And Raisins. Love this mixture of golden, yellow, and dark raisins. $4.99 for a massive bag. The same thing would be about 10 bucks at WF.

And since all the coolkidsrave about this bar, I figured I’d pick one up.

Taste: Unrefined Coconut Oil is tastier than the Refined Coconut Oil as it is neither bleached nor refined.

Flavour: Again, Unrefined Coconut Oil has a beautiful flavour of that of fresh coconuts which is absent in Refined Coconut Oil, since it is deodorized.

Nutrients: It is more nutritious than the refined one, being least process and subjected to least heat. It is richer in proteins (this is almost absent in refined oil), vitamins and anti oxidants.

Natural: It does not undergo any chemical processing, unlike Refined Coconut Oil which is treated with Sodium Hydroxide and bleached. So, it has that more natural touch.

Wholeness: It is wholesome coconut oil.

What are its disadvantages? Every coin has two sides. Here is the other side.

Hygiene: It is less hygienic than the Refined Coconut Oil, since it does not undergo any refining and may contain dust particles and other unwanted stuff.

Therapeutic Uses: It may not be suitable for therapeutic uses.

Internal Applications: The Refined Coconut Oil is better in this respect, being more hygienic.

Cost: Despite being less processed, it is bit costlier than the refined one, since most of the coconut oil produced is converted to refined oil and hence there is much less crude oil in market than the refined one. Further, it is less in use too.

Availability: Again, Unrefined Coconut Oil is less easily available than the refined grade.

Tip of the Day: The information on Coconut Oil that I presented in the middle of this monster post.

I also wanted to mention that I rarely shop at Whole Foods. I try to go there less than once a month because it is simply price prohibitive. I buy all my produce at either the conventional grocery store or at TJ’s. I don’t always buy organic. Actually, I only buy organic if the price is close to conventional. I know that for some people, organic is very important to them and I think it’s wonderful, but for me, it’s not a reality.Gena has posted on this topic as well.

When I lived in San Diego, I was part of a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) and had a weekly farm share. All my produce was locally & organically grown, and it was seasonal. Since recently moving to the desert, I haven’t explored that option yet, and so in the meantime, I try to buy produce that’s at the front of the grocery store. In the winter that’s oranges and grapefruits, in the summer it’s strawberries and raspberries. In the fall it’s turnips and parsnips, in the spring it’s chard. You get the point.

Are you familiar with the Dirty Dozen? Those 12 items that you should buy organic when possible? Here’s a downloadable guide.Or here you go. The most contaminated (buy organic with these if you can):• Apples• Cherries• Grapes, imported (Chili)• Nectarines• Peaches• Pears• Raspberries• Strawberries• Bell peppers• Celery• Potatoes• Spinach